Lead-Free Radiation Protection System Developed for CT Imaging of the Head

Scans of the head area carried out by means of CT imaging have always been associated with a very high level of exposure to radiation. Particularly at risk are the unprotected, sensitive eyes. Repeated CT scans therefore significantly raise the risk of developing cataracts.

Somatex Medical Technologies (Teltow, Germany) is using a new amalgam of different metallic components to make this radiation protection system possible. It has become possible to completely dispense with the use of the heavy metal lead, with all of its environmental hazards.

"It is at the moment true that only one in 24 radiological scans performed in Germany is currently carried out using computer tomography, but as much as 38% of the total radiation exposure can be attributed to it,” explained Thomas Dunker, Somatex product manager. "As the use of computed tomography has been increasing steadily for some years, it is high time that an effective means of protection of highly sensitive organs such as eyes and thyroid glands was developed.”

A study at Marburg University (Germany) carried out on the head of an Alderson phantom confirmed the high level of effectiveness of the new radiation protection system. The doses recorded in the study were then assessed using a specially developed method that also took into account the scattered radiation induced by the protector itself.

According to the results, the radiation-induced artifacts were greatly minimized, with an average overall radiation reduction of some 46.7%. This added up to a further reduction of 25% on top of that already achieved by the bismuth protectors currently in circulation, taking into account the increase in the proportion of scattered photons behind the protector material.


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